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Art & Craft Books

These books provide art activities, ideas for family art time, and tips for thinking about art for children as a learning experience. You’ll be sure to find plenty of art your child can do with materials you may have around the house already! Most of these books can be found at your local library.

1-2-3 Art: Open-Ended Art Activities for Working With Young Children - Jean Warren

Hundreds of skill-building activities that provide age-appropriate and cooperative experiences for young learners. More than 200 easy, hands-on, open-ended art activities.

Art: Basic for Young Children - Lila Lasky and Rose Mukerji

Full of examples of how art can instill confidence, communication, and creativity in young children by increasing sensitivity to the physical environment, offering new ways to express feelings, and enhancing awareness of individuality.

Art for the Very Young - Elizabeth Kelly

Art for the Very Young offers over 50 art activities for children to create art and learn about basic art concepts and techniques, such as line, shape, color, space,texture, form, and value.

Big Book of Kids’ Crafts - Better Homes and Gardens

Hundreds of super-fun ideas to keep little hands busy day after day. Includes inspiring, creative projects for kids of all ages and skill levels.

Child’s Play: Easy Art for Preschoolers - Leslie Hamilton

Over 150 fun, simple, and creative projects for children ages 2-6.

Considering Children’s Art: Why and How to Value Their Works - Brenda Engel

This in-depth resource provides information on how to look at children’s art.

Crafting Fun: 101 Things to Make and Do with Kids - Rae Grant

In our hurried times Crafting Fun introduces kids to classic childhood crafts that many of us remember fondly.

Loo-Loo, Boo, and Art You Can Do -

Paint Without Brushes - Liz Wilmes and Dick Wilmes

Paint without Brushes goes beyond the paint jar and brush to encourage children to explore the world of paint.

Preschool Art: It’s the Process Not the Product - Mary Ann Kohl

Over 200 activities teach children to explore and understand their world through open-ended art experiences that emphasize the process of art, not the product.

Books for Kids

These books are perfect for reading to your child and then talking about their favorite kind of art or an art project they did recently (such as finger painting or playing with clay). Be sure to check these books out at your local library!

Animals: A First Art Book - Lucy Micklethwait

An introduction to great art, through wonderful paintings of animals from across the centuries. We see paintings of horses, dogs, farm animals, and baby animals from a range of famous artists, including David Hockney, Andy Warhol, Durer and Renoir.

Anna's Art Adventure - Bjorn Sortland

On her search for the art museum's bathroom, Anna meets famous artists, becomes part of some of their paintings, and makes her own art.

Art - Patrick McDonnell

"Art" introduces children to the imaginative world of art and the endless opportunities it holds.

The Art Lesson - Tomie De Paola

Little Tommy wants to be an artist when he grows up, so he is thrilled to learn that he'll have art lessons each week in first grade.

Begin at the Beginning: A Little Artist Learns About Life - Amy Schwartz

Sara gets stuck when she must paint a picture for the second grade art show, until she discovers the best place to begin.

The Dot - Peter Reynolds

From the illustrator of the Judy Moody series comes a simple, witty story that entices even the stubbornly uncreative to make a mark and follow it on a journey of surprise and self-discovery.

ish - Peter H. Reynolds

This sequel to “The Dot” is simple, witty story that entices even the stubbornly uncreative to make a mark and follow it on a journey of surprise and self-discovery.

Josefina - Jeanette Winter

Count along in English and Spanish with a Mexican folk artist as she sculpts her world from clay: one sun, two angels, three houses . . . ten stars to twinkle bright in the sky.

Little Blue and Little Yellow - Leo Lionni

Little blue and little yellow share wonderful adventures. One day, they can't find one another. When they finally meet, they are overjoyed.

Ready to Dream - Donna Jo Napoli

Ally and her mother are visiting Australia for the summer, and she can't wait to start drawing all the new animals that she'll see.

The Shape of Things - Dayle Ann Doods

A square is just a square until it becomes a house in this clever book.